300 



ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



wood Stakes winner, at an allowance of 6 Ibs. only, to 

 half a length. People who saw Prestonpans' perform- 

 ance in that race resolved to be on him in the Ebor 

 Handicap, the market for which was " set " in London 

 the Saturday before the race, when an attempt to back 

 Mr. Gretton's horse was forestalled. His commissioner 

 waited until the horse's arrival at York on the Tuesday. 

 When the son of Prince Charlie came under the eyes 

 of the critics he was voted immensely improved from 

 Brighton and Lewes, where he was suffering from a 

 sore back, and was off his food. His Knavesmire gallops 

 on the Tuesday and Wednesday mornings led the 

 " touts " to say that he had never moved so well, or 

 made so much improvement since he was under Alec 

 Taylor's charge. Mr. Gretton's commissioner on the 

 Tuesday was again forestalled, and he made no secret 

 of it to the reporters that unless he could get 

 6 to 4 to 1000, Prestonpans would probably not 

 run. Matters remained in that equivocal aspect until 

 the last moment. The situation was made still more 

 complex by the operations in the London market, 

 where a " dead carcase " monger freely offered 90 to 40 

 against the brewer's horse. Even when the horse's 

 number was hoisted, doubt existed as to whether he 

 was a genuine candidate, though the fielders took no 

 liberties with him, and he eventually started a decided 

 favourite at 100 to 60. Soon after the flag fell the 

 fielders offered 2 to 1 against Prestonpans, the odds 

 expanding to 100 to 1 at the bend, and an unpleasant 

 affair ended when poor Fordham, whose gruesome face 

 suggested a tale, finished hopelessly tailed off. 



Mr. Gretton died in the autumn of 1882. It was 

 said of him that he was more sinned against than 

 sinning. In excuse for his scratching propensities, the 



